Log Mates
by DoomedShuriken
Summary: Steven discovers how Lapis Lazuli and Peridot learned to get along with each other between the events of Hit The Diamond and Beta through two tape recorders. (Steven is currently somewhere between Bubbled and The Kindergarten Kid)
1. Play

Peridot used her power of manipulating metal to knock down a stack of paint cans, grinning proudly. Lapis simply gave a little giggle before taking some water from the nearby lake and knocking down another stack with it. Steven looked on, wondering how all of this had happened. For once, he was visiting the barn by himself, for himself. After being cast into outer space and almost shattered inside his own bubble, he felt he needed some leisure time to ease his mind, and what better way than by spending time with the two misguided gems he ended up saving? They were a good reminder that not all is lost for Homeworld, plus they're fun to hang out with. But it was only now that he realised just how well the two seemed to be getting on with each other.

"Are you impressed yet Steven? Tell me I'm the superior paint can destroyer!" Peridot said.

"I-I don't know. You're both pretty good at doing that, but what about stacking them up again?" Steven said, sporting a smile of his own. Peridot couldn't help rushing herself and began frantically building up the cans again one by one. Lapis took a more laid back approach, surrounding the cans in water and rearranging them all at once. With both stacks complete, it was pretty clear who the winner was this time. Peridot's stack was uneven and threatened to fall over again, while Lapis' was built in half the time in near symmetry. This time Lapis gave the smirk of triumph.

"I'm afraid Lapis has this one, Peridot," Steven said.

"No fair! She's had her powers for thousands of years! I only just got mine," Peridot said.

"I've spent most of that time trapped in a mirror, you know," Lapis said.

"You probably still had more time to master your powers than I have..."

"You'll catch up soon."

"Really?"

"I'll give you a tip right now:" Lapis said, before taking a ball of water and splashing it right into the unsuspecting green gem's face. She responded with a look of shock, while the attacker herself laughed lightly. Soon, they were both laughing, having forgotten the stacking incident already.

"I have a tip of my own!" Peridot yelled. With her powers, she swiftly took the lid off a paint can and threw the contents inside right at Lapis. This only seemed to prompt a full on battle of paint and water between the two as they pelted each other relentlessly, laughing all the way.

"Guys take it outside! You're getting the barn and me wet," Steven said. He was just a helpless bystander in the war, coated in various paint stains but still standing strong. Whether they heard his complaints or not, they were taking the fight outside and into the fields, seeming to have the time of their lives. He was definitely glad to see them get along all by themselves, but much like a cat, he was all too curious to the how of it all.

As their fight travelled further and further away, he was left with the barn to himself. It seemed his chances for bonding would have to be put on hold for now, but he was sure they would be back soon enough. As the minutes went by, waiting led to boredom, and boredom meant he had to find something to do. He looked around for entertainment, scanning the various "meep morps" for anything interesting. There were a couple of new ones depicting the five Homeworld rubies, but apart from that things seemed to be more or less the same.

His sightseeing tour was close to an end now, and he was just about ready to find Lapis and Peridot again, regardless of the watery consequences. However, that was the moment he found something on a far away table, or rather two things. He walked a little closer to make out what they were and felt a wave of excitement rush over him. On the table laid two tape recorders: One with the name "Peridot" written in green, and the other with the name "Lapis Lazuli" written in blue. Maybe these could hold the answer he was looking for...

It may have been a massive invasion of privacy, but he was just dying inside to know how his two Homeworld heroes learned to get along so well. As he faintly heard them still water fighting, they sounded like the best of friends. Surely if they never found out about it, it wouldn't matter, right? Steven found it hard to argue with this, and against his better judgement, he took the "Peridot" recorder and pressed play.


	2. Peridot

"Log date 7 17 2. Steven has given me a new log device to replace the last one. It looks... not the same, but I will accept the offering. He has also decided to give me a new mission: befriending Lapis Lazuli. Ha! As if I'd take orders from him.

"I have initiated in what these humans call 'small talk'. Steven told me this is how people 'hit it off'. Well these humans must be clods! Ahem, Lapis did not act favourably when I asked her if she fell from heaven. Steven told me that I'm using an incorrect form of this 'small talk'. I told him to take his small talk and-"

"Might wanna skip this part," Steven said, fast forwarding.

"Log date 7 18 2. I have used my powers of judging compatibility to conclude that Lapis and I are not suited for each other in the slightest. Steven decided to ignore my well thought out chart, and instead insisted that I try to find common ground with her. His method of commencing this was by giving her a log device of her own. If she thinks she can involve herself in my duties, she has another thing coming. She's out of her league here, and would benefit from another activity. Unfortunately, Steven said I was acting rude when I mentioned this to him.

"In addition, I have noticed that whenever Steven talks to Lapis, she acts favourably towards the gesture. Those two clearly have a close bond and... I... Excuse me. Peridot out!"

"Log date 7 19 2. Steven has decided to return to his home on Beach City, leaving me to handle my mission alone. Lapis mostly spends her time out of the barn. I have an understanding that she doesn't want to be near me, so I shall attempt contact when she returns.

"I decided to research Lapis' log device while she was away, and found no data. This is an outrage! I must show her the ways of logging as a means of establishing friendship. She does nothing except stay away from me. Perhaps collaboration would help me to succeed in my mission.

"Lapis rejected my offer of recording together. She actually talked to me! I consider this to be a step towards success for yours truly."

"Log date 7 20 2. I have decided to join Lapis in her ritual of sitting on the barn's silo and staring at nothing. From past experiences, I have discovered that she expresses dislike to any instance of me creating noise. Using this information and acting accordingly, she appeared to tolerate my presence. I felt huge, unstoppable! Unfortunately, I decided to stand triumphantly for this success, and soon found myself falling from the silo. Progress is painful."

"This is really not going to work..."

"Sure it is! You just need to learn from a professional. Ahem, log date 7 20 2. I have established common ground with Lapis Lazuli in what the people of earth call 'bonding'. This is apparently different to fusion, as it occurs on a mental and spiritual level. We have both agreed to collaborate on logging our lives whenever something noteworthy occurs. I suppose this makes us: Log mates. Isn't this amazing, Lapis?"

"How much longer do I have to stand here?"

"Right right, of course. It's your turn to log something now. Just say anything that's on your mind." The sound of a button being pressed was heard.

"Log date. This is a waste of my time and a waste of yours. Please don't involve me in this again." Another button was pressed and footsteps could be heard walking away.

"Wait Lapis! No! Stupid cloddy brain with cloddy ideas AAA-"

Steven fast forwarded through what felt like hours of incoherent venting. He hated seeing Peridot like this, but something must have changed down the line. He got to the next log date and pressed play again.

"Log date 7 21 2. I just had the best time of my life! I was visiting Steven and the crystal gems at Beach City and he gave me this replacement for my old finger screen. Sure it's more primitive in design, but it has this thing called the 'internet'. The oddities I've seen on this internet are worth a whole log to themselves! But it only got better from there. After Amethyst rudely tried to destroy my new device by throwing it into the ocean, I discovered that I have metal powers, and then used those powers to win my new squishy companion at "Fun Land". I'm so excited I just have to tell Lapis!

"She actually listened to what I had to say. She even seemed somewhat interested when I mentioned the metal powers. I can conclude that progress has been made, but at the rate this is going, I feel like this planet will be destroyed by the sun before we actually become friends."

"Log date 7 22 2. I have introduced Lapis to Camp Pining Hearts. It took some forceful pushing, but she appears to be watching it now. It's kind of amusing actually. She stares at it as if she's looking into a void and... wait, is that how I look when I'm watching it?

"She has been sitting at the Camp Pining Hearts display box for a couple of hours now. I think I actually got her interested. I am going to proceed to seat myself beside her. I have heard that this is a form of bonding.

"We are now watching Camp Pining Hearts beside each other. This was my greatest idea yet! Lapis and I will be close friends in no time."

"Please stop logging next to me," Lapis said.

"Right, sorry."

"Log date 7 23 2. Things have gone horribly lately. Lapis and I had a huge fight which has caused her to not want to talk to me. My mention of Jasper seemed to anger her, and when I tried defending myself, she lashed out at me more. I fear that this friendship may never happen. I'll proceed to stay in this one location and not move.

"Day 5 of not moving, I think. Lapis just sat down next to me for some reason. I don't understand why she's doing this after staying mad at me for so long. Is she still mad at me? Ugh, whatever. I'm going to go back to wallowing in my sadness."

"Log date 7 24 2. Lapis sat next to me again, but this time I didn't want to let nothing happen between us. It's hard to know what to say in these situations. It's out of my role as a peridot, but I wanted to say something, so I said sorry for not being considerate of her feelings when speaking to her. It's what I thought was right to say, but apparently I was wrong. She left me again as soon as I finished speaking, and now I am alone again."

"Log date 7 25 2. I am currently attempting to comprehend recent events. Progress has been unexpectedly made. Lapis actually asked me to watch Camp Pining Hearts with her. She said something about being tired of doing it alone. Heh, now that we're actively watching this show together, I understand what she means. It feels so much nicer to experience something when it's with another person. She also said she wanted to try recording a log together again. I feel like things between us are healing now, and I couldn't be happier."

"Log date 7 26 2. Lapis Lazuli and I have decided to join forces with this log and use both of our devices together."

"Okay. I'll share my thoughts first," Lapis began. "I am enjoying life in this barn, though it feels a little plain now I'm used to it. Spending time on the silo is nice, but I always have to go back and forth between there and the barn, which is inconvenient. I am also enjoying watching Camp Pining Hearts with Peridot. Uhh, your turn now."

"Alright. I have to agree that watching Camp Pining Hearts with Lapis has indeed been a great experience. I'm glad she can see the superior pairing of Pierre and Percy as I do," Peridot said. A light giggle could be heard in the background as she said this. "But... I have also been having thoughts about fusion lately, specifically an eagerness to fuse with someone. I find these recent desires to be unusual, as I have previously despised the idea of fusion without a strategic purpose. I blame this development on the permafusion, whose attempts to help me understand her way of existing made me become obsessed over the concept. I shall ignore these urges for now."

"Log date 7 27 2. Lapis has requested to visit Steven by herself for some 'alone time' away from the barn. I respect her privacy, although I worry that I may be the cause of her sudden departure. I must also admit that living here by myself does indeed, suck. That is why I have come up with a plan to distract myself from my misery!

"Okay, it took me 18 hours, but I'm finally done. I, Peridot, have used my genius to move the silo into the barn! Now Lapis won't have to travel back and forth from the barn any more. I can't wait to see her reaction when she comes back."

"Log date 7 28 2. My genius has struck again as I thought about this 'music' that Steven introduced me to. I've had this idea where I make music, but instead of using sounds, I use things! My first of these has already been created, and I have decided to name it 'Wow Thanks'. It represents my struggles of inner communication. I heard Lapis wanted the barn to be more interesting, so I hope this satisfied her needs. Now, I eagerly await her return!"

"Log date 7 29 2. Lapis has returned, and as I hoped, my recent additions to the barn have impressed her. She also returned with a significantly improved mood, which is a bonus. My new form of music now has a name: Meep Morp. I have Lapis to thank for that, once again. We have both been working on our own Meep Morps, and we've even created one together involving a group of toilets. Side by side, our genius is unmatchable! Hahaha! Ahem, anyway, I'm glad to have Lapis back at the barn. I... honestly missed having her here a lot."

"Log date 7 30 2. Lapis and I have created several new modifications to the barn to suit our needs. My favourite of these is a human vehicle we accidenta- I mean intentionally levitated into the front of the barn to watch Camp Pining Hearts in. We have also set up a tent made to look like it's from Camp Pining Hearts in order to show our devotion to the show. People online have been telling me that we're part of a 'fandom' now. Whatever that is, I'm excited to be a part of it with Lapis."

"Log date 7 31 2. My desire to fuse has returned again, despite my best efforts in repressing the feeling. This calls for creating more Meep Morps to distract myself!

"Alright, so I didn't create any new Meep Morps. Instead, I got distracted watching Lapis create one herself. I don't understand why I found it so interesting. I must study this further."

A series of footsteps were heard as the recording started playing.

"Log date 7 32 2. Steven and Amethyst came to visit today, but Amethyst acted like a total clod when Lapis and I showed her around the new barn. At least Steven appreciated my showmanship skills. But back to the point at hand, Amethyst was acting strange because she was upset over Jasper, so I reassured her like the good friend I am and offered her a tour of the disgrace that is the Beta kindergarten. Unfortunately, it turned out that Jasper was just about the most perfect gem formation I had ever seen in my time as a kindergartener. It was at this moment that Jasper appeared with her captive army of disgusting corrupted gem monsters. We were involved in a fight, but Amethyst could hardly scratch her, and my metal powers were failing me. All hope seemed lost, but then Amethyst and Steven fused together into Smoky Quartz and totally kicked her butt! She resorted to fusing with one of her own corrupted gem monsters, but it only made her own gem become corrupt. I then finished her off, saving the day as usual."

"Hey, we did most of the work!" Amethyst said.

"I know, I know. Smoky Quartz doesn't have metal powers though, you have to admit," Peridot said.

"Log date 7 33 2. Steven and the crystal clods have left for the moon with a group of rubies. Amethyst shape-shifted into the recently defeated Jasper, and they actually bought it! I have been laughing about the situation, but I do hope they will be alright. The last time Steven went to the moon, I did some... regrettable actions. But that's the past now. My focus is on the present, where my obsession with fusion hasn't been helped by witnessing Smoky Quartz forming in front of my own eyes. I think I need to face facts and accept that I'll never be able to fuse with someone.

"I have just informed Lapis about Jasper being defeated and bubbled. She seemed relieved but told me that she wanted some time to herself to think. I have respected that decision."

"Log date 7 34 2. I have just been given news that Steven barely survived floating in outer space after being sucked out of the diamond moon base. Lapis was horrified to hear the news, but I'm tougher than her! I only cried for 2 hours! I also heard about the ruby that tried to murder him, and have sworn to shatter her if I ever find her anywhere near him again. Steven, of course, told me that shattering a gem is never acceptable and blah blah blah. What a very typical Steven thing to say. However the case may be, I am not letting that clod get away with this. She shall pay one day!"

"Log date 7 35 2. I am awaiting Steven's arrival right now... But I have a lot on my mind. I still don't know much of how Lapis feels about me. At times, I wonder if I am the reason for whenever she is upset or hurt. From what I can understand, she does not move on from the past as easily as I do. I have concluded that it is best for me not to worry about how we work together, and that I should accept what we have right now. I shall try to ignore these feelings for now, as today is about Steven. We have a duty to entertain him so we can provide a distraction to all of his negative thoughts and feelings. This is my new mission now, though I have forgotten what my old one was."

The recording ended, and Steven simply sat in silence. From the sound of things, Peridot and Lapis had ended their water fight, and were instead sitting next to each other and talking. It was obvious that Peridot had forgotten her new mission, but Steven didn't mind. Listening to Peridot befriend Lapis all by herself cheered him up more than anything else could.


	3. Lapis Lazuli

But he didn't have the full story. It was clear how they grew together, sure, but he felt like something was missing. The two gems were still heavily engaged in conversation, and Lapis' tape was right there. His hand was subconsciously moving closer and closer to the device, the urge to press play growing. The hunger in his mind was unbearable, and with a sigh, he decided to go in for round two and pressed play again.

"Log date... 1," said the familiar voice of Lapis Lazuli. Steven already noticed something was off as her first recording with Peridot wasn't there. "I feel more comfortable to do this now that Peridot has left. I hope she knows I'm only doing this for Steven, because the last thing I want to do is be involved in her activities. She likes to think we're close friends when we're obviously not, and I don't know where she gets that idea from. She imprisoned me and hurt me, and nothing will ever change that. I just hope she can finally understand that soon."

"Log date 2. I have been enjoying my time alone here a lot. It's just me, this barn, and the sounds of earth's wildlife around me. Then Peridot came back and started shouting at me in what I guess is excitement? She's been levitating things around the barn since she discovered her metal powers, and also insists on showing me this primitive human device for some reason. I have to admit, her antics lately have been amusing, if annoying."

"Log date 3. Peridot found out about my logs. I wanted to keep this a secret, but I guess this was bound to happen sooner or later. Now all she wants to do is talk to me about it, and I am running out of patience. For once I want a day where she can leave me alone without me having to tell her. If it wasn't for Steven, she would be out of this barn before she could say 'clod'."

"Log date 4. I have been 'asked' by Peridot to watch some human entertainment with her called 'Camp Pining Hearts'. Whatever it is she wants to show me, she should ask properly. She was actually dragging me over to this tiny box to absorb the light and sound emitting from it. This has to be the biggest waste of time she's involved me in yet.

"This has to be one of the most interesting things I have ever witnessed. Humans have such amazing ways of wasting time before they die. I wanted to watch the rest of it, but Peridot insists that we do it together. Right now, I don't feel comfortable doing anything with anyone other than Steven. He's the only person so far who's given me any freedom with my life. I just can't believe I sat next to her for so long... I know she doesn't mean to be like this, but I don't know how much more I can take. Maybe I should just tell her how she's upsetting me."

"Log date 5. Peridot has gone too far. It's enough that she only seems to care about herself and trying to make me be like her, but then she decided to start joking around about working with Jasper, and completely disregarded my feelings. I have told her to not go near me and never talk to me again, and she's thankfully doing exactly that. I don't want to even think about Jasper. After everything we've been through, I have to keep her out of my mind. I can't..."

"Log date 6. I still have a lot on my mind, but at least Peridot hasn't been getting in my way. She's actually stayed in the same position for a while now. I'm kind of... worried about her. I'm sure she'll be back to her usual self soon, but it kinda makes me feel bad to see her like this. I wanted to talk things over with her and even sat down next to her, but I couldn't bring myself to say anything. If she's out of my way and not saying anything, why does she still bother me? Why do I feel bad?"

"Log date 7. I sat next to Peridot again and she apologised to me for everything. I didn't know how to react so I just left again. I didn't expect her to be this considerate all by herself after all the selfishness she showed me earlier. Maybe she really has grown and I just haven't noticed it. I want to give her another chance now. I want to make things work between us. Plus, Camp Pining Hearts hasn't felt the same without her I guess..."

"Log date 8. I invited Peridot to watch Camp Pining Hearts with me again. She's been good company, but I'm still trying to handle all these thoughts I'm holding in. There's so much I'm not saying, even though everything inside me is telling me to say it. Sitting next to her is more tolerable now though, and almost makes me feel calm. She seems to really care about how I feel now, and always wants to make sure I'm happy. It's kind of annoying, but I can't complain. I think she means well."

"Log date 7 26 2. Lapis Lazuli and I have decided to join-"

"Already heard it," Steven said, fast forwarding the tape ahead to something less heard.

"Log date 9. I'm currently visiting Steven for some time away from Peridot. I told her about it and she seemed completely fine with the idea. This is new for her. I feel like I finally have some freedom around her, and I couldn't be happier. Anyway Steven says he has a surprise for me, and I'm excited to find out what it is. I'll report back afterwards."

"Log date 10. I feel stronger, yet more hurt than ever. Jasper returned and tried to get me to fuse with her again. If it wasn't for what Steven told me earlier, I wouldn't have had the courage to say no and force her out of my life. He told me that what Jasper and I had was horrible, and I'm much better than her. I wish I could believe him, but I'm really not a good person. There are all these feelings and emotions that I'm keeping to myself, and it's only feeling worse the longer I continue to do this. I should be talking to Steven and Peridot about it, not this device."

"Log date 11. I'm back at the barn with Peridot, and she gave me a nice welcome I wasn't expecting. She even made the barn look nicer, just like I wanted. She's actually a good listener if she puts her mind to it. She's also been creating these things out of junk called 'visual music', but I'm calling it Meep Morp. After all this, I couldn't bother her with my emotions. I hid how I was truly feeling and pretended to be happy instead, because at this point I don't know what else to do. Peridot is surprisingly making my life easier at the moment, and I feel happy to be back with her again."

"Log date 12. I can't stop thinking about fusion. I know she didn't mean to hurt me at all, but Peridot brought up wanting to fuse earlier, and after meeting Jasper again, it's made me obsess over it. All I can think about is the crushing weight of water all over me as I struggled to keep Jasper under control. How I took out all my anger on her like some kind of monster. I never want to fuse again. I don't think I could ever trust anyone enough to get that close to me. Not even Steven."

"Log date 13. Peridot and I have been spending time together redecorating the barn. We mostly do our own things, but sometimes we come together to create something, like this Meep Morp involving human toilets. Something about that one amuses me. She seems so proud of it too. I'm beginning to really like what we have with each other now. This barn finally feels like a place where I can be free and express myself, without anyone holding me back or forcing me to do something against my will."

"Log Date 14. I'm currently having to deal with a difficult situation all by myself. Peridot just went with Steven and Amethyst to the beta kindergarten... for some reason. That would have been fine, but then all these rubies turned up demanding to see Jasper. I told them I wasn't involved but they kept talking about her and I couldn't take it. So, I have them trapped in water right now, and I've called the 'crystal gems' to assist me, since this is their problem more than mine. I hope they come soon, because these rubies keep evaporating my water."

"Log date 15. Jasper is gone. That's what Peridot told me, and I have no reason not to believe her. Unfortunately, this was after Amethyst decided to shape-shift to resemble her. It's like no matter where I go, she's following me, somehow becoming involved in my life. Spending time with Peridot and Steven is great and all, but every day this is on my mind. I want to stop worrying about her, I want to stop worrying about all of this dumb nonsense, but everything is like a reminder at this point. I need to tell someone right now about everything. It's getting to the point where I can't even admit to myself what's wrong. I see a dark path, and I am putting an end to it, like Peridot put an end to Jasper. I just hope I don't bother them too much..."

"Log date 16. I told Peridot about how I'm feeling. I couldn't keep it in any longer, and now that I have mentioned everything on my mind, I feel so much better. She was listening the whole time and offered advice and really tried to help me. I know her well now, and although I can't agree on everything she says, she's clearly trying, and that's... that's beautiful. I had to say it, I'm sorry. This is the time for honesty now, and that includes honesty with myself. Heh, I also know that she has trouble keeping track of everything at once. I think that's a typical trait of peridots, though this may be unique to her."

"Log date 17. We almost lost Steven. He managed to get himself stuck in space and barely survived. When I saw him again I held so tight I didn't want to let go, but then Peridot took him from me. She likes to act like she's not emotional, but she was crying just as much as I was when we heard the news. I don't want anything to happen to Steven. He has to stay safe, and I'll do anything it takes to make sure that happens. He insists he's fine, and I trust what he says, but I still invited him to visit in the near future if he needs to. Even if he isn't hurt physically, I can't imagine his mental state right now. He needs time to rest, and I think I do too."

"Log date 18. Peridot looks troubled, but she won't admit anything is wrong, let alone tell me what's making her feel this way. I thought this would be about Steven, but she's saying it's something else. I really don't know what to do in these situations, so I just told her that I'm here if she needs me. She looked happier when I said that, which is a start. It's clear at this point that we both have issues, but we seem to be healing just by spending time with each other. I suppose I'm thankful to have her here. She's proven to be great company. She's always so funny and genuine and constantly trying to improve herself. Maybe I should have told her that to cheer her up, in fact I'll say that to her right now."

"Log date 19. I removed my first recording from this log. It's apparent now that what I said was wrong. These logs have been anything but a waste of time. I have a way to express myself that I never knew about before. I should have given it a chance in the first place, but I was still so mad at Peridot back then. She's changed now, as have I. We've both changed each other. Just last night we were stargazing together. I never thought this would happen, and I never thought I would enjoy it so much. She seems to really, really like spending time with me. I feel like we've become so much closer in the last couple of months..."

"Log date 20. Steven is going to be here in a few minutes, and Peridot still looks worried. All she has to do is tell me what's wrong, just like I did with her. I'm not going to let this visit be ruined. Steven and Peridot need my help, and I am going to give everything I have for them. I'm less worried about Steven, because he has plenty of people to support him. Most of the time though, Peridot only has me. She's my top priority, and I have an idea for what will get her to open up. It'll be my surprise during the visit. I feel like I finally trust her enough to do this. She's not like all those other gems. This is hard to go through with, but it's for her, and everything will be fine, I'm sure of it. I have a feeling Steven will enjoy this surprise too. Okay, I have to go now. I'll report back later."

And with those words, the final log ended, leaving Steven sitting in awe in the barn. It took a couple of minutes to process everything, but when he did, he felt like he got the answers he was looking for, and a small smile of joy came over his face. He put the tape recorders back where they were, hoping he wouldn't be found out by either of them. There was still a twinge of guilt that he could feel within him for invading their privacy, especially Peridot's again, but he would have to deal with it later. Right now, all he needed to worry about was enjoying his visit and having his mind taken away from recent events.

The wind blew calmly, barely creaking the door of the barn. He could now easily overhear what Lapis and Peridot were saying, though he felt like he had listened in on them enough already. His mind couldn't help but grasp one detail Lapis had just mentioned though. It was something about preparing something for Peridot, but that's all he got. Then it all dawned on him.

"The surprise is about to happen!" He said, running out of the barn as fast as he could, leaving the tape recorders behind to be alone together.


	4. Surprise

When he ran into them again, he could faintly hear a CD player playing slow, calming music. This was a first for Steven, since both of them usually only listened to music for his sake. This time though, it seemed to be playing for a reason. Both of them jumped a little in surprise when they noticed Steven, which took almost 30 seconds of him standing there for them to realise.

"Oh, Steven! We uhh..." Lapis began.

"We forgot you were here, sorry," Peridot said, finishing Lapis' sentence, who gave a slightly annoyed look at her bluntness before continuing.

"You chose a good time to arrive. I was just about to do something special for Peridot," she said.

"I have no idea what it is!" Peridot said.

"Neither do I! Tell us, tell us, tell us!" Steven said while pretending to slam his fists on something. Peridot copied him for the last "tell us", giving the air a thorough beating. Lapis giggled lightly before telling them.

"Alright. Peridot, Steven: This is an exercise of trust and harmony. I believe you've had previous experience in this," she said, facing Steven, "but this is your first time, isn't it?" She said to Peridot. "You must be completely honest to me, and I will be completely honest to you."

"Where is this going?" Peridot asked.

"You'll see," Lapis said. "Steven, you can sit and watch if you want. You won't need to be directly involved here," she continued as Steven sat down on the ground, giving his full attention to Lapis as if he was a student listening to a teacher. "So Peridot, have there been any thoughts on your mind lately?" She asked, wanting to cut straight to the point. Peridot started blushing and looking away nervously, knowing what she meant.

"W-well... I... I worry about what you think of me!" She shouted, closing her eyes and trying to block out the world around her.

"Oh..." Lapis said, seeming surprised and at a loss of words at the sudden revelation. "Is that so?" She asked.

"Y-yes," Peridot responded, struggling to get the words out. She didn't dare to look at Lapis until she gently laid a hand on her shoulder.

"Thanks for telling me," she said. Peridot looked up in surprise at her and saw a reassuring smile and a pair of deep blue eyes looking back, telling her everything was okay. "Now it's my turn to tell the truth," she said as she held Peridot's hands in hers and gently pulled her closer. Steven stared, mouth slightly agape in pure silence as the music still gently soothed the atmosphere around them.

"At first, I hated you so, so much," Lapis began, making Peridot wince slightly as she remembered those times. "But as we lived together through the good and bad, I got to see you for who you really are. You're not a bad person at all, and once you broke away from Homeworld, you got to shine as who you always were inside." She stroked Peridot's cheek gently as she said this. Oddly enough, it all felt natural to her, instead of creepy or weird. It felt right. "I often see myself as the bad gem, the one that hurt so many people. But now when I look to you, you remind me of who I am. You make me feel happy, and at ease with myself. So if you want to know what I think of you, Peridot...

"You're one of the kindest gems I have ever met. Of course you're not perfect, but you always try to do the right thing and I love you for that," she said as she pulled Peridot a little closer, who was breathing a little heavier and blushing hard. Lapis was also blushing from her honesty as she tried to compose herself and continue. "Please don't ever worry that I hate you. You and Steven finally got me to do the one thing I could never do: Move on. You've healed me, and I only hope I've done the same for you-"

"Y-you have!" Peridot said, quickly closing her mouth when she realised she was interrupting. Steven held back a laugh, but felt warm inside as he heard what she said about him. Lapis simply smiled a little before she spoke again.

"Our connection is so strong now. Can you feel it?" She said. Peridot could definitely feel some kind of energy welling up inside her. "We will always have each other. Even in our darkest times, when we couldn't feel further apart, I promise, I will be here. That's the power of our bond. I trust you with this, Peridot," she said, finishing. They then lightly rocked back and forth to the music.

Steven couldn't move, speak, or even blink. All he could do was take in what he was seeing in front of him. It was like a dream come true. As he saw them open up to each other, he thought about his own worries. If they could be open about their thoughts, why couldn't he? It was an issue that could be solved another time, he concluded. For now, he felt happier knowing he had helped bring Lapis and Peridot together like this. He knew he would always have them, and they would always have each other, no matter what.

As their embrace continued, Peridot reflected on everything Lapis said and gazed into her eyes. "I'm ready."

She didn't need to be told anything more, and gently lifted Peridot up to meet her face. They twirled and span and dipped and dived to the music, dancing in their own unique style. Despite not having her paint cans, Peridot felt completely comfortable during the entire dance. Soon, a white aura formed around them, blurring their forms. In just a few more seconds, a loud sound resonated throughout the area as their bodies became one with each other, completing the process and leaving them standing tall and united. Steven almost fainted with joy.


End file.
